Strand separating and cleaning device for twisted clotheslines



May 27, 1952 D. M. M KENZlE STRAND SEPAR ATING AND CLEANING DEVICE FOR TWISTED CLOTHESLINES Filed NOV. 2, 1948 I NVENTOR DOUGLAS MALCOLM MAcKENZlE.

ATTORNEY Patented May 27, 1952 STRAND SEPARAT ING AND CLEANING DEVICE FOR TWISTED CLOTHESLINES Douglas Malcolm MacKenzie, Toronto, Ontario,

Canad Application November 2, 1948, Serial No. 57,956

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a strand separating device for clothes lines comprising two or more strands of Wire or rope twisted together on a relatively long pitch and held under tension, to grip, between the strands, articles suspended therefrom to make unnecessary the use of clothes pins or clothes pegs.

Clothes lines comprising two strands of wire or rope more or less permanently twisted together for securing articles between the twisted strands are relatively well known. Also, devices for separating or spreading short lengths of the twisted strands to permit the insertion or withdrawal of articles are known.

In general, the twisted clothes lines of the prior art comprise two strands of wire more or less permanently twisted together under tension on a relatively long pitch. A strand separating device comprising a frame having a rotatable disc mounted therein is secured adjacent to one or other of the pulleys over which the clothes line is extended. Two holes are bored in the disc and an individual strand of the clothes line is passed through each of the holes. The twisted strands of the clothes line are separated and spread apart for a short distance of their length adjacent to the spreading device by drawing the clothes line towards and through the spreader, the rotation of the disc serving to untwist the strands as the line approaches the spreader and to hold them separated for a short distance after they leave the spreader, the rotation of the disc in, its frame making this possible. An alternative arrangement is that in which the clothes line is of the non-movable type and the strand separating device is adapted to be moved along the line from one'fixed end to the other.

The design of the twisted clothes line offers no particular difficulties in its manufacture and use. However, it is found, in the application of this type of clothes line on a commercial scale, that the strand separating device is subject to important difliculties in that the rotating member tends to bind or seize in its frame due to the separate and angularly disposed stresses to which the rotating disc is subjected, making it diflicult, if not impossible to separate the strands. Also. the clothes lines normally are permanently set up out of doors and the strand separator is exposed to weather conditions which facilitate deterioration of the moving parts.

A principal object of this invention is to provide a strand separating device by means of which two or more of the strands of a, twisted clothes line may be separated easily at the point or points required without binding or seizing.

A further object of the invention is to 'provide a strand separating device in which the moveable parts are freely rotatable within their housing regardless of the angular disposition of the forces acting upon them, and in which the tendency to bind or seize is eliminated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a strand separating device for twisted clothes lines which may be employed for separating and spreading, without danger of binding or seizing, the twisted strands of a clothes line comprised of two, three, four or more strands twisted together on a relatively long pitch.

A further object of the invention is to provide a strand separating device which may be manufactured inexpensively, and which is easily assembled and installed.

Still further objects of the invention are to provide a strand separating device which is sealed against the entrance of dirt and moisture and in which provision is made to clean the individual strands of the clothes line as they are passed through it.

The strand separating device of the present invention comprises a cylindrical housing having open ends, a hollow cylindrical body rotatably mounted in and carried by the housing, a ball bearing raceway between the body and the housing, a spindle journalled in and extending transversely of said body, and pulleys rotatably mounted in axial alignment on said axle.

An understanding of the invention may be had from 'the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an endless clothes line formed rating the strand separating device of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional elevation of a strand separating device incorporating the improvements of the present invention;

Figure 3 is an elevation in section taken along the line 3-3, Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective spindle arrangement;

Figure 5 is an elevation taken along the line 5--5, Figure 2, and

Figure 6 is a front view of one cap.

view of the pulley and Like reference characters refer to like paits throughout the specification and drawings.

The clothes line illustrated in Figure 1 comprises two or more strands I 0' of wire or rope more or less permanently twisted together on a relatively long pitch. The clothes line is of the endless type and is extended over spaced apart pulleys I l and I2 rotatably mounted on shafts journalled in frames 13 which normally are car ried by standards or other suitable clothes line supporting members.

The strand separating device comprises a housof twisted strands incorpo-v ing having open ends, a hollow cylindrical body I6 rotatably mounted in and carried by the housing, a shaft or spindle l1 journalled in and extending transversely of the hollow cylindrical body, and pulleys l8and I80: rotatably mounted in axial alignment on the shaft.

The housing I6 is of cylindrical shape and is open at the ends. The rear periphery of the housing is drilled and tapped, as indicated by the numeral to receive the; arms 21-; which form a yoke by means of which the device may be secured to one or other of the adjacent" pul leys H or [2.

An internal peripheral groove 22 is formed in the internal wall of the forwardend of the housing which is adapted to receive the ballbear-- ings 23.

The rearward end' of. the hollow cylindrical: body i6 isjournalled. in: the: forwardend of the housing. Preferably; an external shoulder 2:4? is formed on the. rearward. end. of? the cylindrical; body' and an external: peripheral groove; 25. is formedv in. this. shoulder adapted torniate with. thefgroove-22-in the housing to form aballibe ar--* ingrr'aceway".

A shaft orrspindle- I1 is j'ournallediniopposingi sides of the forward end. of the bod'y- 16:. extend; ing at right angles to therlong" axis' of the? body: The ends'of the spindle are'journalled insmall aligned openings or slots which are formed: in the internal wall of'the body; Preferably; a'sleeve' Ila is mounted on the. axle;

Grooved pulleys l8 'i8a arer'otat'ably mounted in" axial alignmenton' the sleeve Ila; These pulleys'are iormedwith grooves l9 over which the separated-.strands-*of the clothes line may be extended; Preferably. ball bearings'29" are inserted in a groove formed in the opposing faces of the bores of pulleysand'the sleeve lla to 'p'r'dvide' substantially. frictionlessrotation" of the pol leys" on the sleeve;

An end closureniembe'r; such as acapis fitte'dinto the forward'end of the body l5. This cap is formed with spaced" openings 3i aligned with'the pulleys l8''l'8a'through which the sep arated strands are extended to the pulleys l8-|Ba'.

Acap'32tisfittedintdthe rearwardend of thebody IS. This cap also.- is? formed with spaced: openings through which the separated strands extendito the'pulleys: iB l'B'a. This cap is provided' with. a r'earwardly' extending threaded: stem 33. A felt washer is pressed onthefst'em' tofit closelywithih' the rearward end 'ofthe-b'ody against the" cap 32'. This" felt washer" is also formed with spaced-i openings whichv may be brought into alignment with the? openings in" the cap 32. The felt is retained pl'aceby a not of thumb screw 34 turned on the' threaded stem 33.

The caps'3fl and 32'serve to keep dirt and'moisture out of the body and the felt washer serves to clean the individual strands of the clothes-line as they arepassed throughit.

In use, the'clothes line is extended throughithe' housingand the hollow cylindrical body and an individual strand is extended over each of the pulleys. The device may'be' secured firmly' toone or otherof the pulleys ove'rwhichthe=end less clothes line'isextended and theclothes'lihe' passed through the device to separ'ate'the strands: for'a short distance of their length, after'which' the strands resume their normal; tightlytwisted' relation. Alternatively, if the device is'use'd with" a fixed clothes line, it may be slid along the line from one end to the other to separate the strands for a short distance of their length.

I have found that the spreading device of the present invention has a -number of important advantages. The arrangement of the housing and cylindrical body permits substantially frictionless rotation of the body about an axis parallel to. the-cl0thes-1ine extended through the body. Also, the manner in which the pulleys are mounted on the axle permits substantially frictionless rotation of'the pulleys. The parts are free running without danger of seizing or binding. Also, the device may be made inexpensively of materials which may be exposed to all types of weather'coriditions without deterioration.

It will be understood. of course, that modifications may be made in: the preferred embodimentsof. theinve'ntion: described and illustrated herein. withoutdepartingffrom the scope of the invention define'dzby 'thefappended claims.

What-Lclaim' as-new' and desire to protect by Letters Patent of 'thet'United States is:

l. A strand separating device for clothes lines havingi twdtwisted strands which comprises a cylindrical housing having. forward and rearwartli open" ends-,1 a. hollow cylindrical body rotatably mounted in" and carried by the forward end oit the" housing; a" ball bearing raceway between-the body andthe'housing, a spindle journalled in and extending: transversely of the body at right anglestothe'lon'g: axis of the housing, grooved pulleys rotatablymounted in axial alignment" on-thespindle caps adapted to close the ends of'the; body, spacedopeningsin each of said caps in alignment with said pulleys, wire cleaning means mounted atthe' rearward end of said housing, and s'pacechoperiing's in said wire cleaning mea'ns in alignment withthe' openings in the rearward cap.

2; A: strand separating device for clothes lines two twisted strands which comprises a cylindrical housing having forward and rearw'ar d open ends; a; hollow cylindrical body rotatably mounted and" carried'bythe forward end of the "housing; a ball bearing raceway between the 'body and the housing a spindle journalled in and extending transversely of the body at right angles to thelong axis of the" housing, grooved pulleys" rotatably' mounted in axial alignment onthespindle; capsadapted to'clo'se the ends of the body; spaced openings in' each of said caps in alignmentwith said pulleys'; awasher formed of fibrous material mounted at the" rearward end of said housing;-and spaced openings in said washer in aligmnentwith the'openings in the rearward cap: W 7

DOUGLAS MALCOLM MACIENZ1E.

ltltF-l sREhlCES' CITED The following referencesare of record in the fileofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

